Trying to get back to blogging; it's been awhile.
This has been a busy fall so far. The Chaplaincy Program has
been enjoying all kinds of influence on campus with record numbers of students
attending events. The numbers of students going to church in town and attending
church on campus has been up dramatically. We have been holding on for dear
life as God has been revealing Himself to students in ways we've never seen
before.
I think my favorite times though have been the times when
fewer students have come out to events. It is a little less harried and frantic
than when 175 students show for Root Beer Floats or 125 come out for Nacho
Night and we need to hustle to keep up with demand.
I usually run events at night but last week on Halloween we
did an after school Pumpkin Painting event so we wouldn't interfere with the
Student Council Haunted House later in the evening. It was a much slower paced affair
with students tending to stick around longer. I had lots of pumpkins so kids
took their time and some even painted a couple of different ones.
The reason these quieter events are my favorite is because
inevitably a smaller group of students will stay later and just hang out. I
find out a lot during these times; I find out about places kids live or have
lived, about relationships they’re in and all the trials that go along with
that, about family members, and a lot of cultural information. I find out who likes what kind of special
treat like sunflower seeds or a certain kind of candy or that somebody is out
of shampoo. I can usually meet a need pretty easily when I find out about it.
It just can be a time of sharing and discovering new
things about students. The larger events serve a purpose of getting kids into
contact with the Chaplain, sometimes for the first time, but the smaller group
setting opens up a time for dialogue. It doesn't always lead to spiritual
discussions but a lot of times it does. I’m grateful for the opportunities that
come along during these times.
See the rest of the Pumpkin Painting Pictures:
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